Brief Story

Riverview International Christian Academy and

the projects we are connected to in Liberia.

December 13, 2024

First, a brief background to the story.

I first arrived in the United States as an international student at Western Theological Seminary in 1994 where I pursued theological studies and obtained a Th.M. in 1996. Later, I pursued Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and obtained a Ph. D. from Loyola University in Chicago, IL in 2001.

In 2010, my wife (Yah) and I responded to God’s call to provide Liberian youth with quality education. In 2015, after finding 5 acres of land in the heart of the city of Ganta, we shifted our efforts from college age students and focused on the younger generation of students.

We had become troubled by the glaring failure rates for junior and high school students who were unable to pass the required high school and college entrance examinations. Without a successful exam, these high school students would not be accepted into a college program. Because of 15 years of civil war in Liberia, the poor and substandard schools made the situation worse. God was expanding our vision to build and provide a new school for young students (elementary through high school), and disciple them to be future leaders in rebuilding a new Liberia (Matt 28:19-20).

After securing an approval from the IRS, Christian Leadership Training International (CLTI) became our official non-profit faith-based organization in the U.S. In 2018, CLTI contracted Engineering Ministry International (EMI) in Colorado Springs, USA to provide the design services including site survey, master plan, architectural and conceptual offices design. The facility was designed to accommodate 1,200 students with various offices, science labs, computer labs and a library. 

In 2019 we commenced the construction of the college preparatory high school. In 2021, Riverview International Christian Academy enrolled the first 465 students and graduated its first 36 senior students on November 23rd, 2023. Since then, RICA has expanded from 5 acres to 8.5 acres, and focuses on three main areas:  Discipleship, Entrepreneurship, and Quality Christian Education.

The first state-of the art academic building has finally been completed and is fully functional. We have furnished the building with computers, both in offices and computer labs, and have a well- supplied library for all the academic disciplines.

We are nearing the completion of our school cafeteria, chapel, gym and a multi-purpose room we call the “Graduation Hall.” We can’t wait for our academic community (more than 800 students, instructional staff, support staff and visitors) to gather in their new Hall!

The remaining outstanding building improvements are installing floor tiles, finishing all electrical wiring and interior/exterior painting. Our goal is to launch our campus worship in this space in February 2025.

Every day, we focus on developing a biblical worldview in our students’ lives and preparing them to represent Jesus in their culture and nation.  These students know that their main goal in life, whatever their future career becomes, is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in a broken world. We believe that many of our students will be Liberia’s future leaders for peace and justice in various areas of government, business, education and other sectors of Liberian society.

We now celebrate whole extended families that once had little hope for their children’s future. There were no opportunities in this rural area for many kids to have a premier elementary to high school quality education.

For the past 8 years we have been tirelessly working to see an academic institution that is transforming the lives of children. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that has led to whole families finally seeing a future for their children.

Where there was only grass, classrooms now cascade down the hill filled with children. The words of Paul in Philippians 1, echo through my mind and “I am confident that he who began a good work here will indeed carry it to completion” – that people would know the Lord here until the day that Jesus returns.

What we plan to teach

As we seek to invest deeper into the lives of our students, their families, and this community, all our staff are aware that they as leaders and teachers need to also model loving Christian behavior.

While focusing on the student’s academic excellence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, we as administrators and teachers emphasize the student’s ongoing character development which is worked out in their relationships with their fellow students.

Additional Projects

We are at the close of phase I and II of RICA’s development. Phase III of the campus plan will give us an elementary school, health-center building, a children’s playground, and a technology center.

Our plans include a self-contained fish and agricultural system. This system is to provide the campus with a sustainable source of revenue through the production of vegetables and fresh fish.

The entrepreneurship and discipleship center will provide CLTI additional instructional space for small group meetings and workshops.

The proposed community medical clinic will serve as an outpatient day clinic and is proposed to be equipped with examination rooms, laboratory space, procedure rooms, a day ward, and a pharmacy. We will have a school nurse for our students, while also providing medical support services to the local community.

There is no doubt that over time Riverview Christian Academy will be the epicenter for transformation in the local community and beyond.

God has truly worked a miracle through RICA:

Because of our Lord’s faithfulness through dedicated followers of Christ, we have exceeded our goals from 2021 when we first launched this premier school, Riverview International Christian Academy (“RICA”).

Here is the summary of RICA’s achievements:

• RICA was dedicated and successfully launched into God’s mission on November 12, 2021.

• In 2024, RICA enrolled more than 500 students from grades 1-12 and we hired 36 instructional staff and other support staff for a total of 70 employees.

• On November 25, 2024, RICA hosted its second graduation ceremony. We had 37 high school students graduate and are now pursuing studies in various universities.

• RICA is Liberia’s first college preparatory high school in the city of Gompa where more than 500 students (Grades 1 through 12) are encountering Jesus through classes, friendships, discipleship, and other extracurricular activities.

Finally, we are praying for visionary partners. Are you passionate about making a difference through education?

CLTI offers unique opportunities for Christian teachers to serve as missionaries with RICA in Liberia. Missionaries are needed to serve in the academic areas as science teachers, math teachers, librarians, school nurses, IT personnel, and finance and accounting people.  Please call for more details!

For changing the lives of students for Christ,

Sei Buor

Dr. Sei Buor

Executive Director of Christian Leadership Training International

www.cltinternational.org